Hair contains all the minerals present in the body. A hair tissue mineral analysis test, also known as HTMA, is a laboratory test that reveals your mineral deficiencies and heavy metal toxicity. The results reveal how much of these elements are in your tissues and provide a vivid picture of your internal environment. The status of your nutrition and how effectively your body is working can be viewed from your results.
Having a good balance of minerals in the body not only affects your overall health but it also has a huge impact on your mood and mental health. Hair is the ideal tissue for sampling and testing because it can be cut easily and painlessly and doesn’t require any other special handling besides being sent to a laboratory. A 1980 report from the EPA stated that human hair can be effectively used for biological monitoring of toxic metals. This report confirmed the findings of other studies in the U.S. and abroad, which concluded that human hair may be a more appropriate tissue than blood or urine for studying community exposure to some trace elements. A blood or urine test only shows what is present in the body at that moment and isn’t as accurate.
After cutting the required amount of hair, it is then sent in to the laboratory. The sampled hair, obtained by cutting the first inch and a half of growth closest to the scalp at the nape of the neck, is prepared in a licensed clinical laboratory through a series of chemical and high temperature digestive procedures. Testing is then performed using highly sophisticated detection equipment and methods to achieve the most accurate and precise results.
After watching our Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis instructional video, hopefully now you have a better understanding on how to prepare your hair for a hair tissue mineral analysis test. If are ready to have yours tested, it is $100 and a kit can either be mailed out or picked up at our office. Contact Dr. Samm Pryce to make an appointment or for any further questions that you may have.
In Balanced Health,
-Dr. Samm Pryce
